With the school year just coming to an end, the start of the 2025 school year is already shaping up to be complicated. The Quebec school bus federation (FTA) warns that many school buses are at risk of remaining parked in August due to a funding issue related to the shift to electric vehicles. A survey conducted by the FTA among its members reveals that, for 87 per cent of its members, electric routes were not profitable in the year that just ended. In an interview with The Canadian Press, the federation’s executive director, Luc Lafrance, explains that the switch to electric vehicles significantly increases operating costs. In total, the FTA estimates that an electric bus costs an average of $14,000 more to operate than a gas-powered vehicle. Approximately 1,300 of the federation’s 8,000 routes currently run on electricity. Beyond installation costs, the transport company is also responsible for maintaining charging stations, and electric vehicles require more expensive expertise to repair in the event of a problem. Repairs also tend to take longer, which pushes transport companies to have more replacement vehicles in case of a glitch. When the Quebec government mandated the purchase of electric vehicles in 2021, financial assistance was available to fund the transition. This support has been reduced from $12,900 to $5,000 this year, which is not enough, according to Lafrance. The funding cuts are causing a $12 million shortfall for transport companies, the FTA said in a statement. Lafrance said he met with the Minister of Education on Friday to express his concerns. The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 28, 2025.
